Category Archives: Filipino

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Emil Guillermo: So slips in 7th round match to Caruana at Gashimov chess tourney; Carlsen next.

A disappointing loss for American Filipino Wesley So at the hands of Fabiano Caruana of Italy.

so caruana

So is seen here on the right.

Playing black, So could not find an answer in this relatively quick match that ended when Caruana’s bishop over knight advantage prevailed.

The round 7 loss of a full point put So further behind  World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, who won his 7th round against Vladimir Kramnik.

The two are scheduled to meet in the 8th round.

But So enters the match with 4 points and in third place.   Carlsen is a top the leaderboard at 5.5 points. India’s Viswanathan Anand, who beat So in their head-to-head matchup, is in second with 4.5 points.

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Emil Guillermo: Excerpt from my Wesley So interview, now trailing Carlsen, World No.1, after 6th Round in Gashimov chess tourney in Azerbaijan

American Filipino chess grandmaster Wesley So has picked up the pieces after a disappointing U.S. Chess Championship showing in St. Louis earlier this month.

The tension still exists with family, but the drama and excitement  is all on the board, So told me in an e-mail interview.

At the Gashimov Memorial, one of the world’s major chess tourneys, So trails  tourney leader Magnus Carlsen, the World’s No. 1 by just half a point.

So kept pace when action started up. In Round 6, both men drew their matches.  The next big moment may be Round 8, when So is scheduled to face Carlsen.

In my  e-mail exchange with So during the break, he told me why he has been playing to form:

Q:You’re playing well in Azerbaijan. Why do you think?

I am trying my best and the atmosphere here is very motivational. The hosts are dedicated to our welfare and provide for all our needs, helping us to  focus on playing the best chess we can. I feel very happy to be here.
Q: Is the higher level of play against the likes of Carlsen more of a motivation?
A: All the players here are extremely talented and it is an honor to even be in this group. I grew up studying the games of some of these player and sometimes I can’t believe I am playing them now. It is very exciting.
I’ll have more of the interview in a subsequent column for Inquirer.net.
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Emil Guillermo: UPDATE–Wesley So loses match, but Carlsen wins his to take lead in the Gashimov chess tourney in Azerbaijan

UPDATE

World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen  took over the lead in the Gashimov Memorial in Azerbaijan with a win over Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. 

The win gives him a  half point advantage over American Filipino chess hero Wesley So, who lost his fifth round match.

So, playing black, was outmaneuvered by former world champ Visanathan Anand.

Just a mild set back for So, who had  won his fourth round game vs. Rauf Mamedov.  That full point win gave So a momentary  advantage over the rest of the field.

The tourney still  seems destined for a  big match between So and the  World No. 1, Magnus Carlsen of Norway.

So’s strong play in Azerbaijan is a real switch from the previous week in the U.S., where he uncharacteristically lost three games and forfeited a fourth at the U.S. Championships.

 

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Emil Guillermo: After disastrous U.S. Chess Championships, Wesley So rebounds in Azerbaijan tourney. UPDATED with So’s third round results.

chesssorobsonmatch

SEE UPDATE BELOW

Last week, Wesley So (right) lost to three lesser players, including his old college roommate Ray Robson, who went on to edge past Wesley for overall 2nd place in the tournament.

But that was in St. Louis.

Since then, So has gone to the other side of the world, to Azerbaijan, where he is playing like his old self.

After two matches, Wesley So seems to have regained confidence and form with dominant play, winning one and drawing one, at the Gashimov Memorial tournament in Azerbaijan.

On Saturday, So  drew his match with co-leader Vladmir Kramnik to  continue to share the top spot in the tournament.

So opened Friday night with a crushing defeat of Dutch grandmaster Anish Giri  in just 32 moves.

So, a Filipino playing as an American, disappointed last week when he failed to challenge Hikaru Nakamura for the No.1 spot in the U.S.

Personal issues between So’s biological mom and the family  with whom he stays in the U.S., led to bitter arguments during that tournament. Some believe that had an affect on So’s play.

So was ranked 8th in the world during the U.S. tournament.

UPDATED 4/19/15 11:16pm PDT

Wesley So beat Michael Adams of (England) in Round 3 of Gashimov.

 

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